Fernanda Balata

Fernanda leads NEF’s work on coastal economies, which is aimed at reconciling social and economic prosperity for coastal communities with marine conservation. Fernanda has led the Blue New Deal Initiative since 2014, delivering two major reports and building a growing network to deliver a major action plan for the UK coast. This work has received international attention and Fernanda is currently developing ideas to translate the Blue New Deal framework in Portugal. She has also conducted research on fisheries and the future of cities; and is interested in developing more work looking at human-wildlife relations, as well as exchange opportunities between the work in the UK and other countries.

Fernanda is frequently invited by a range of organisations, politicians and community groups to talk and debate about economic development, coastal issues and the environment.